5/3/1

Honestly, unless you are moving some big weight, you don't need a belt. Especially for overhead press. Let your core do it's job and it'll get stronger as you do. I have yet to use my belt for any of the sets I'm doing. Not that I'm going real heavy yet, mid/upper 300's on deads and low/mid 300's on squats.

this. if you must use a belt, please only on the last and heaviest set.

Came across an awesome app for 5/3/1 for the iPhone. It's called "Big Lifts", and I highly recommend it.

Keep in mind it is still a relatively new app, and it doesn't work perfectly, but it is so simple, has good options, and is suited perfectly for the big lifts. Has options for assistance work too but I'm not going to be using that since I have my own app for that.

It also has a plate counter! lol, I feel like an idiot saying this but when I'm tired and don't feel like subtracting the bar and dividing the difference by two constantly, this helps.

BTW I've actually emailed with the creator of the app and he's going to be rebuilding the thing soon to remedy the stability problem, but seriously this app is great.

Lol I've got all kinds of **** going on.

- iPhone strapped to my arm w/ Pandora, Fitness Buddy, & I guess now Big Lifts running
- Digital watch to keep track of rest periods (much easier than using in-app timers)
- Gloves
- Sometimes straps for those days when I'm tired and I feel like my grip is weakening the rest of a lift.

leave the gloves and straps at home. start developing some real grip strength. grip strength is part of your lift. build it. learn how to properly grip the barbell.

personally, i find watches and mp3 players and all that distracting. i can feel when my heart rate has dropped down and it's time for the next set. i zone out into my lift and don't need music. i usually go really early in the morning too, so it's quiet. no need for music to drown out anything.

I was waiting for this one lol... OK so I only recently bought gloves because my months old caluses were getting pinched between the bar and my palms on pulling exercises, and with 230 lbs on the bar it just ****ing hurts and gets in the way of a workout...

and as for grip... my grip is fine and getting better like everything else. I'm not going to risk improper form and not finishing sets for sake of avoiding straps, just because I'm having an off day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

for me, i prefer to lift without straps or gloves for the most part. i have them, and have used them. i usually still bust out my straps on my last set of OHP on my heavier days. i don't really use gloves as much, as i've learned how to properly grip the bar, especially in the dead lift. i used to tear up my hands, but i learned how to curl my fingers around the bar, instead of the palm of my hand.

What benefit do you get from using straps for OHP?

When on a quest to get stronger I fail to see the point in using wrist wraps, but everybody is different I guess. I personally don't own a pair and will definitely not ever own a pair.

Lol I've got all kinds of **** going on.

- iPhone strapped to my arm w/ Pandora, Fitness Buddy, & I guess now Big Lifts running
- Digital watch to keep track of rest periods (much easier than using in-app timers)
- Gloves
- Sometimes straps for those days when I'm tired and I feel like my grip is weakening the rest of a lift.

leave the gloves and straps at home. start developing some real grip strength. grip strength is part of your lift. build it. learn how to properly grip the barbell.

personally, i find watches and mp3 players and all that distracting. i can feel when my heart rate has dropped down and it's time for the next set. i zone out into my lift and don't need music. i usually go really early in the morning too, so it's quiet. no need for music to drown out anything.

I was waiting for this one lol... OK so I only recently bought gloves because my months old caluses were getting pinched between the bar and my palms on pulling exercises, and with 230 lbs on the bar it just ****ing hurts and gets in the way of a workout...

and as for grip... my grip is fine and getting better like everything else. I'm not going to risk improper form and not finishing sets for sake of avoiding straps, just because I'm having an off day.

You are likely gripping incorrectly on pulling exercises. Take a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

So I want to move to a periodized routine, and I have heard of 5/3/1. Looks good to me, but after reading the book he seems like a bit of a bro (a no bs-bro, albeit). Of course if he's right who cares, so what do you guys know about 5/3/1?

It's pretty similar to the linear progression routine I'm doing now (4-6 x 3 sets, 5 days a week with big lifts) but introducing periodization has what seems like a pretty realistic goal structure.

Incidentally I also really like the last set to near rep failure part, excellent.

5/3/1 is the most broscience-free lifting program you'll ever come across. The reason is there's no science involved, it's built around hard work, dedication and consistent gains. I use 5/3/1 and have a 661lb deadlift. Does that sound like broscience?

Here's what I do:

Bench: 5/3/1 + 2-3 singles at or above my training max
Floor Press: 5x5
Barbell Rows: 5x5
Chin Ups/Dips Superset 3x10
Abs

Squat: 5/3/1 + 2-3 singles at or above my training max
Front Squat: 5x5
Good Mornings: 5x5
Box Step Up/Box Lunges Superset 3x10
Abs

Overhead Press: 5/3/1 + 2-3 singles at or above my training max
Behind The Neck Press: 5x5
Meadows or DB Rows: 5x5-10
Delt Raises/Barbell Curl Superset: 3x10
Abs

Deadlift: 5/3/1 + 2-3 singles at or above my training max
Block Pulls: 5x5
Shrugs: 5x5
Chins/Box Lunges Superset: 3x10
Abs

Then I do sprints with a 150-300lb sled 3-4 times a week.

I start each training cycle with weights I could rep 8-10 times for 5 sets on my accessories and I add 5lbs every training session until I can't hit all 25 reps and then I reset by 15-20%. If the lift I stalled on wasn't giving me results on my big 4 lifts then I'll swap it out for something different instead of resetting. For example, I was doing narrow grip bench instead of floor press but I was having trouble off the chest with my heavy paused singles, so instead I swapped out for floor presses to develop low end power.

It's a great program, but don't start it if you're a program hopper. The whole purpose of 5/3/1 is to make slow, steady gains over the course of several years so don't be one of those guys who does it for 3 months and then decides that it's not working and swaps to something different.

Lol I've got all kinds of **** going on.

- iPhone strapped to my arm w/ Pandora, Fitness Buddy, & I guess now Big Lifts running
- Digital watch to keep track of rest periods (much easier than using in-app timers)
- Gloves
- Sometimes straps for those days when I'm tired and I feel like my grip is weakening the rest of a lift.

leave the gloves and straps at home. start developing some real grip strength. grip strength is part of your lift. build it. learn how to properly grip the barbell.

personally, i find watches and mp3 players and all that distracting. i can feel when my heart rate has dropped down and it's time for the next set. i zone out into my lift and don't need music. i usually go really early in the morning too, so it's quiet. no need for music to drown out anything.

I was waiting for this one lol... OK so I only recently bought gloves because my months old caluses were getting pinched between the bar and my palms on pulling exercises, and with 230 lbs on the bar it just ****ing hurts and gets in the way of a workout...

and as for grip... my grip is fine and getting better like everything else. I'm not going to risk improper form and not finishing sets for sake of avoiding straps, just because I'm having an off day.

You are likely gripping incorrectly on pulling exercises. Take a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

I respectfully disagree. Calluses are going to happen from lifting. Get a pumice stone, file, or something similar (I prefer the stone...cheap on Amazon.com) and file down your calluses to a reasonable flat level before they get out of hand. This will prevent the pain and ripping.

I agree that wrist straps will hinder your grip strength. Use an overhand grip as long as possible on deadlifts. Then go over/under. Then get chalk. If you can't hold the bar on other pulling exercises, you should add grip-strengthening work until it's at a place where you want it to be. Then it should progress as your pulling exercises progress. Gripping and holding the bar are part of the lifts. Straps are an aid...useful at times, but I'd wait until your lifts got crazy heavy or your volume was through the roof to work in straps for certain sets.

Edit: As far as form...lower the weight or call it a day. It means you're fatigued. You aren't going to hit all you lifts all the time. Get quality work in at a lower weight or move on. You aren't going to lose strength because of a few missed sets. They happen.

I saw something about apps. I recommend My Gym Buddy. You have to enter a lot of exercises, but once they're in, it's easy to create workouts and track your lifts. It also has three customizable timers on each exercise screen so you can time your rest periods...bell goes off at the end.

I don't believe we are disagreeing. Calluses will happen, no doubt about that. My point was that if you grip the bar/handle correctly on a pulling exercise, calluses won't ever become a problem. They won't get to the point of hurting or bleeding. I've had calluses since I started lifting, and I've never needed to file them down. They've never bled nor hurt. They are only very slightly raised. And I've yet to use chalk which, aside from helping with grip, should also limit callus problems.

The wrong way:


vs.

The right way:

Lol I've got all kinds of **** going on.

- iPhone strapped to my arm w/ Pandora, Fitness Buddy, & I guess now Big Lifts running
- Digital watch to keep track of rest periods (much easier than using in-app timers)
- Gloves
- Sometimes straps for those days when I'm tired and I feel like my grip is weakening the rest of a lift.

leave the gloves and straps at home. start developing some real grip strength. grip strength is part of your lift. build it. learn how to properly grip the barbell.

personally, i find watches and mp3 players and all that distracting. i can feel when my heart rate has dropped down and it's time for the next set. i zone out into my lift and don't need music. i usually go really early in the morning too, so it's quiet. no need for music to drown out anything.

I was waiting for this one lol... OK so I only recently bought gloves because my months old caluses were getting pinched between the bar and my palms on pulling exercises, and with 230 lbs on the bar it just ****ing hurts and gets in the way of a workout...

and as for grip... my grip is fine and getting better like everything else. I'm not going to risk improper form and not finishing sets for sake of avoiding straps, just because I'm having an off day.

You are likely gripping incorrectly on pulling exercises. Take a look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTqNSgCmM2s

I respectfully disagree. Calluses are going to happen from lifting. Get a pumice stone, file, or something similar (I prefer the stone...cheap on Amazon.com) and file down your calluses to a reasonable flat level before they get out of hand. This will prevent the pain and ripping.

I agree that wrist straps will hinder your grip strength. Use an overhand grip as long as possible on deadlifts. Then go over/under. Then get chalk. If you can't hold the bar on other pulling exercises, you should add grip-strengthening work until it's at a place where you want it to be. Then it should progress as your pulling exercises progress. Gripping and holding the bar are part of the lifts. Straps are an aid...useful at times, but I'd wait until your lifts got crazy heavy or your volume was through the roof to work in straps for certain sets.

Edit: As far as form...lower the weight or call it a day. It means you're fatigued. You aren't going to hit all you lifts all the time. Get quality work in at a lower weight or move on. You aren't going to lose strength because of a few missed sets. They happen.

I saw something about apps. I recommend My Gym Buddy. You have to enter a lot of exercises, but once they're in, it's easy to create workouts and track your lifts. It also has three customizable timers on each exercise screen so you can time your rest periods...bell goes off at the end.

I don't believe we are disagreeing. Calluses will happen, no doubt about that. My point was that if you grip the bar/handle correctly on a pulling exercise, calluses won't ever become a problem. They won't get to the point of hurting or bleeding. I've had calluses since I started lifting, and I've never needed to file them down. They've never bled nor hurt. They are only very slightly raised. And I've yet to use chalk which, aside from helping with grip, should also limit callus problems.

The wrong way:


vs.

The right way:

I don't believe we are disagreeing. Calluses will happen, no doubt about that. My point was that if you grip the bar/handle correctly on a pulling exercise, calluses won't ever become a problem. They won't get to the point of hurting or bleeding. I've had calluses since I started lifting, and I've never needed to file them down. They've never bled nor hurt. They are only very slightly raised. And I've yet to use chalk which, aside from helping with grip, should also limit callus problems.

The wrong way:


vs.

The right way:

When on a quest to get stronger I fail to see the point in using wrist wraps, but everybody is different I guess. I personally don't own a pair and will definitely not ever own a pair.

Since almost every powerlifter uses them, I don't get your point. I personally use them because I had some carpel tunnel and not using them on my heavier sets was hurting my wrists.

.

For medical condition it makes sense and can totally see that. Are wraps allowed in competition? If so I did not realize that. I do follow the EliteFTS group, Westside team, and now JTS and have not seen any reference to using wraps. Not saying that they don't but that's definitely news to me that the pro's use them.

abs everyday? i take it you mean work on the whole core to strengthen it for the big lifts. but still every day? what are your reasons?

Yup, everyday. Wendler actually says that in his book, I know the Westside manual says every session, and so does the Cube Method which is basically part of the Juggernaut System group.

Yes, wrist wraps are definitely allowed in comp. Lifting straps, that go around the bar to help your grip, are not allowed.

When on a quest to get stronger I fail to see the point in using wrist wraps, but everybody is different I guess. I personally don't own a pair and will definitely not ever own a pair.

Since almost every powerlifter uses them, I don't get your point. I personally use them because I had some carpel tunnel and not using them on my heavier sets was hurting my wrists.

.

For medical condition it makes sense and can totally see that. Are wraps allowed in competition? If so I did not realize that. I do follow the EliteFTS group, Westside team, and now JTS and have not seen any reference to using wraps. Not saying that they don't but that's definitely news to me that the pro's use them.

abs everyday? i take it you mean work on the whole core to strengthen it for the big lifts. but still every day? what are your reasons?

Yup, everyday. Wendler actually says that in his book, I know the Westside manual says every session, and so does the Cube Method which is basically part of the Juggernaut System group.

Yes, wrist wraps are definitely allowed in comp. Lifting straps, that go around the bar to help your grip, are not allowed.

Oh okay, totally misread that... Wraps vs. Straps. My bad, L<2 read... Wraps are fine then, protect your body where you can. Straps are a complete waste.